Court orders forfeiture of university, factory, others linked to ex-Director of Finance
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the forfeiture of a private university (NOK) in Kaduna state linked to former Federal Director of Accounts in the Ministry of Health, Anthony Hassan.
Justice Zainab Abubakar, the presiding judge, gave the order, saying the university was suspected to have been built from proceeds of unlawful activities traced to its owner (Mr Hassan).
Physical assets of the university forfeited include: Senate building, ICT building, Faculty of Medicine building, Science Deanery building, two Academic buildings, a Faculty Hall and other buildings.
Other properties traced to Hassan which were also forfeited in the interim are: Gwasmyen Water Factory, Gwasmyen Event Centre and Gwasmyen International Hotel in Kaduna.
The Judge gave the interim forfeiture order while ruling on a motion ex-parte brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Counsel to the EFCC, Ekele Iheanacho, told the court that the EFCC sought the order “pursuant to Section 44(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14, 2006 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Honorable Court”.
The Commission, through her investigative officer, Adaora Asabe Oragudosi investigated some verified intelligence bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering against some staff of the Federal Ministry of Health where the properties ordered to be forfeited were traced to the defendant.
In the ruling, the court directed that the interim forfeiture order be published in the National dailies, alerting anyone with interest in the properties to show cause, within 14 days, why it should not be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Justice Abubakar adjourned till October 5, 2022, for mention of the matter.
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